Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

5 reviews

illgiveyouahint's review

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

The book is really hard to get into, but I was willing to give it a chance, however when the author started describing

how all the men in the village wanted to fuck the 14-year old girl

I started to really hate parts of the book. Then he continued with

talking at lengths about how all the women wanted to fuck that 10 year old boy with his dead arm

and just WTF man. Who wants to read that? Why would I want to read that, and why did you put so much focus on that. I think there were parts that were good. When we got to the topic of the war itself, it was good, but just I couldn't enjoy the book because of all of THAT. So yeah. In the end, I was pushing myself to finish it faster just so I can get it over with and focus on something more enjoyable.
I'm also questioning if I actually want the book at my home, or if I'll try to sell it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, War, Child death, Violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Antisemitism, Suicide, Rape, Infidelity, and Genocide

mblanke's review

challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Genocide, Domestic abuse, Rape, Murder, Mental illness, Death of parent, Antisemitism, and War

Minor: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, and Animal cruelty

leilorenzo's review

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

There's one trigger warning after the next. They might not (always) be described in perfect detail, but they are there. I tried my best to include them all.

 

The back and forth narration (it took me an embarrassingly long time to notice the chapter title’s format, oops) was a great tool.  The characters were left vulnerable to the reader thanks to being vulnerable to each other in their correspondence. 

I found SO many gems throughout it that practically every page has some annotation.

It is a strong punch delivered so beautifully that you don’t realize it until the book's last third.

The use of language was crafted just right, entwining humour with tragedy, and laughter amidst the terror. 

It is now proudly resting on my favourite’s shelf.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, War, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, and Genocide

Minor: Vomit, Violence, Police brutality, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, and Fire/Fire injury

yaarit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a heartbreaking, beautifully written book. The form is playful and experimental at times, the character voices exquisitely developed, the plot and character development are really emotional and beautiful.

I would have given it 5 stars if it weren't for all the unnecessary pedophilia peppered through the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Torture, Hate crime, and Genocide

shinysarah28's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Suicide